Clam-shell bucket.



No. 823,413. PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906. R. W. KALTENBAGH & J. GRIESS, JR.

GLAM SHELL BUCKET. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 13, 19051 1 n WIT/M8858:

. Arm/mus i PATENTED JUNE 12, 1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

-7 mu m \\W N m F W mu HI 1 l Q 1 A NR @W mN W mm R. W. KALTENBAUH & J. GRIESSLJR. CLAM SHELL BUCKET.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.13, 1905.

T FK/Nl/EN 0R5 ATTORNEYS WITNESSES.-

ROBERT W. KALTENBACH, OF BEDFORD, AND JUSTIN GRIESS, JR, or

CLEVELAND, OHIO.

QLAM-SHELL BUCKET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jnne 1.2,

Application fil d November 13, 1906. Serial No. 287,103,

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ROBERT W. KALTEN- BAOH, residing at Bedford, and JUsTIN GRIEss, Jr., residing at Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clam Shell Buckets; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved clam -shell bucket having a bail and com rising two oppositely-arranged trays which ave cutting edges at the bottom and forward ends and are pivotally supported, as required to render them capable of being swung from and toward each other to open and close the bucket, respectively. a

The primary object of this invention is to operate the bucket from a point central relative to the bucket andv to so relatively arrange the parts of the actuating mechanism of the bucket as will bring the center of gravity of the bucket low enough to prevent tipping of the bucket when the bucket is landed on an uneven pile or bed of material.

Another object is to pivotally attach bars which are pivotally connected to the rear ortions of the trays to a bail with which the vhucket is centrally provided, with the pivotal connections between the said bars and the bail arranged below the axis of the bail, with the pivotal connections between the bail and the bars attached to one of the .trays arranged at one side of the axes of the levers, and with the pivotal connections between the bail and the bars attached to the other tray arranged at the opposite side of the said axes, so as to advantageously place the trays of the bucket when open relative to the bed or pile of material to be excavated or operated upon.

Another object is to construct a clam-shell bucket of the character indicated which is exceedingly simple and durable in construction and reliable in its operation.

With these objects in view and to the end of realizing other advantages hereinafter appearing this invention consists in certain features of construction and combinations of .parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is loosely mounted or a side elevation of a clam-shell bucket and connected bucket-operating mechanism embodyingour invention, and in this figure the bucket is shown closed. Fig. 2 is "a righthand side elevation relative to Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on line 3 3, Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by thearrow. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the bucket and connected mechanism with the bucket open. Fig. 5 is a top plan relative to Fig. 1

Referring to the drawings, A and A indi cate two 'oppositelyarranged trayswhich form the body portion of our improved bucket. The trays A and A swing rearwardly from or toward each other, according as the bucket is opened or closed. The bucket illustrated is shown closed in Figs. 1 and 2 and o en in Figs. 4 and 5. Each tray is provide at its rear end and near the t0 thereofw-ith an axle a, which is arrange horizontally and transversely of the tray. The axles a'of the trays are parallel and arranged in the same plane horizontally. "The trays A and A in opening and closing swingina vertical plane upon the axles a. a

Each axle a has bearing in the rear ends of two bars B, which are journal ed'on the said axle within the connected tray and near 0 posite ends, respectively, of the ax-lel' T e said bars when the bucket is closed, asshown in Figs. 1 and .2, extend upwardly'andhil'forward'ly relative to the trays. It will be observed, therefore, that the trays A and A have bearing on the axles a and that the ;latter have bearing the rear ends of the bars B; The bars B on each axis a conver e' forwardlyand are pivoted at their forwar ends, as at b, horizontally and parallel with the axle a, to the lower ends of the end members '12 and 13 of a bail whose central portion comprises two round rods 14 and 15, which are arranged in the same plane horizontally and parallel with each other and with the axles a. The rods 14 and l5 extendinto the upper end of both end members 12 and 13 of the bail. It will be observed, therefore, that the .bailis arranged vertically and transversely and 'cenv trally of the bucket.

Two hollow shafts or sleeves d and d are journaled within opposite end members 12 and 13,.respectively, of the bail. The sleeves d and d are arranged inline endwise and a suitable distanceapart.

The said sleeves are also arranged -horizon-.

tally and parallel with the rods 14 and and axles a. The sleeves d and d are loosely mounted or journaled upon opposite end portions, respectively, of an axle c, which extends loosely through and has bearing inthe said sleeves. Eachsleeve (1 is operatively provided at its outer end with a depending lever D, which is pivotally connected, as at D, and thereby operatively attached to the tray A. The levers D are. parallel and at tached to the tray A at the forward end and opposite sides,respectively, of the said tray.

.Each sleeved is operatively provided at its sleeves than above the sleeves.

inner end with an upwardly-projecting lever d. The levers d of the sleeves d are parallel and arranged, preferably, at the inner side 4 of opposite end members 12 and 13, respec tively, of the bail. The two levers d are arranged, therefore, between the bail members 12 and 13. Upon each-sleeve d, between each lever d and the adjacent bail member, is loosely mounted a spacing collar 6. (See Fi 3.) The shaft cis operatively provided with two depending parallel levers C and O, arranged at'opposite ends, respectively, of the said shaft at the outer sides of the levers D and pivoted, as at C, and thereby operatively'attached to the tray A. The levers C are attached to the tray A at the forward end and opposite sides,'respectively,

of the said tray. At the outer'end .of each sleeved (see Fig. 3) is arranged a spacingcollar-f, interposed between the said end. of the said sleeve and the adjacent lever C, whichs-pacing-collar is mounted on the said shaft. The shaft 0 is provided centrally between its ends with an upwardly-projecting lever c,- and a spacing-collar h (see-Fig. 3) is mounted upon the said shaft between each are close enough together centrally of the bucket to avoid tying them together orbracing them apart. The bail members 12 and 13 extend a suitable distance below the sleeves d and extend farther laterally of opposite sides of the said sleeves below the The pivotal connection 1) between each bar B and the bail is arranged below the axis of the bail. The pair of bars B pivoted to one of the trays and the pair of bars B pivoted to the other I tray are wholly arranged at opposite sides,

respectively, of the axis of the bail. It will be observed, therefore, that the pivotal connection between the bail and each bar that extends from the bail to one of the trays and the pivotal connection between the bail and each bar that extends to the other tray from the bail are arranged both below and at op posite sides, respectively, of the axis of the bail. The pivots b are of course arranged with their axes parallel with the axes of the axles a.

By the construction hereinbefore described it will be observed that only one le ver 0 is employed and that this lever is arranged centrally between the levers d, and consequently centrally of the bucket. The

lever c is provided at its upper end with two guide-sheaves 17 and 18, arranged at opposite sides, respectively, of the said lever. The sheaves 17 and 18 are arranged with their axes coincident and parallel with the axis of the said lever. The levers d are provided at their upper ends with two guide-sheaves 20 and 21, which are suitably supported from and arranged between the said levers; The sheaves 20 and Y21 are arranged with their axes coincident and parallel with the axes of the said levers. The sheaves 17, 18, 20, and 21 are arranged equidistantly from the axis of the shaft 0. I

' A bucketblosing cable G isysuitably at tached atone end to the rod 14:, thence leads downwardly toand around the-sheave 17, thence to and in under the sheaves 20, thence toand over the sheave 18, thence to and in under the sheave 21, and thence into. engagement with a guide-sheave g, which is loosely mounted on the rod 15,and thence the said cable leads to a suitably-operated winding drum. (Not shown) v Upon each axle a, between the bars B- connected clevis L. Two bucketholding cables B and R are suitably attached to the clevis on t he axles a and a, respectively. 7 The end mm bers 12 and 13 of the bail of the bucket are each provided at the upper end with two arms 23 and 2 1, projecting in opposite directions, respectively, and overhanging the sweep of the trays A and A, respectively. The arms 23 and 24 are arranged horizontally or approximately horizontally and at a right angle to the axis of the bail.

A guide-sheave 25 is arranged vertically between the outer ends of and supported from the arms 23 of the bail members 12 and 13, and the cable R, attached to the clevis L, journaled on the axle a of the tray A, leads into engagement with the said sheave at the inner side of the axis of the sheave, and a pin or cross-bar 26 braces apart and ties together the said arms and is arranged as required to prevent displacement of the said cable from the said sheave. A guide-sheave 27 is arranged vertically between the outer ends of and supported from the arms 24 of the bailmembers 12 and 13, and the cable R, attached to the clevis L, journaled on the axle a of the tray A, leads into engagement with the said sheave at the inner side of the axis of the sheave, and a pin or cross-bar 28 braces apart with the said axle, is journaled a IIO of the said cable from the bail-shaped guard K, having end members 30 and a central member 32 extending between the end members 30. The end members 30 of the guard K aremounted on the rods 14 and 15 next adjacent the inner sides of the end members 12 and. 13 of the bail of the bucket. The central member 32 of the guard K extends over the sheave g and is provided with a hole 33, arranged to accommodate the extension of the cable G through the said guard member 32.

The cables R are operated in any approved manner, and cable-operating devices are too well known in the art to require illustration and description.

The bucket hereinbefore described, it will be observed, is exceedingly simple in construction and reliable in its operation. The trays A and A are when the bucket is laden and closed and suspended over a pile or bed of material opened by the gravity of the bucket and contents upon holding the cables R and releasing the bucket-closing cables G. The bucket when open is closed by actuating the levers c and 1) upon winding up or pulling on the cable G. Only one cable G is employed. The arrangement of the parts is such that the tray-actuating mechanism and the center of gravity of the bucket are low enough relative to the cutting edges of the trays when the bucket is open so that there is no liability of the bucket to tip when the bucket is landed upon an uneven pile or bed of material. Each tray is also provided at the outer side of the forward portion of the bottom thereof with teeth t, which are suitably spaced laterally of the said tray and are shown formed upon plates T, rigidly secured to the said bottom. The said teeth project toward and somewhat beyond the forward and cutting edge of the said bottom and are spaced at their outer ends a suitable distance from the said bottom. Preferably the teeth of each tray alternate with the teeth of the other tray. (See Fig. 5.) The teeth are adapted to enter the pile or bed of material to be operated upon in advance of the cutting edges of the trays and have a tendency to prevent upward displacement of the trays during the operation of the trays.

What we claim is" 1. In a clam-shell bucket having two suitably-supported trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucket is opened or closed, the combination of the trays; a shaft arran ed centrally of the bucket and parallel with t e axes of the trays and operatively provided centrally between the ends thereof'with a lever for actuating the shaft, which shaft is also operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to one of the trays; two sleeves loosely mounted on the shaft between the first-mentioned lever and opposite ends respectively of the shaft and operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to the other tray, which sleeves are also operativelyprovided with levers for actuating the sleeves; an upright bail having laterally-spaced end members loosely embracing the sleeves; bars pivotally connected at one end to the traysand pivotally supported at the other end, and means for operating the first-mentioned lever of the shaft and the last-mentioned levers of the sleeves.

2. In a clam-shell bucket having two suitably-supported trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucket is opened or closed, the combination of the trays a shaft arranged centrally of the bucket and parallel with the axes of the trays, which shaft is operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to one of the trays; two sleeves loosely mounted .on and spaced longitudinally of the shaft and operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to the other tray; sleeve-actuatinglevers operatively mounted on the sleeves; an upright bail having laterally-spaced end members loosely embracing the sleeves; a shaft-actuating lever operatively mounted on the shaft between the sleeves; bars pivotally connected at one end to the trays and pivotally supported at the other end, and means for operating the last-mentioned lever of the shaft and the last-mentioned levers of the sleeves.

3. In a clam-shell bucket having two suitably-supported trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucket is opened or closed, the combination of the trays; a shaft arranged centrally of the bucket and operatively provided with a lever for actuating the shaft, which shaft is also operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to one of the trays; two sleeves loosely mounted on the shaft and o eratively provided with depending levers w 'ch are operatively attached to the other tray, which sleeves are also operatively provided with levers for actuating the sleeves; an upright bail loosely embracing the sleeves; bars pivotally connected at one end to the trays and pivotally supported at the other end, and means for op IIO erating the first-mentioned lever of the shaft and the last-mentioned levers of the sleeves.

4. In a clam-shell bucket having two trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucketis opened or closed, the combination of the trays; a shaft arranged centrally of the bucket and operatively provided with a lever for actuating the shaft, which shaft is also operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to one of the trays; two sleeves loosely mounted on and spaced longitudinally of the shaft and operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to the other tray, which sleeves are also operativelyprovided with levers for actuating the sleeves; bars pivotally connected at one end to the trays and pivotally supported at the other end; a single cable operatively connected with thefirst-mentioned lever'of the shaft and the last-mentioned levers of the sleeves, and cables connected to the rear portions of the trays.

5. In a clam-shell bucket having two opposite trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucket is opened or closed, the combination of the trays; levers operatively attached-to one of the trays levers operatively attached to the other tray; an upright bail instrumental in supporting the le vers and provided at the upper end with at least two arms overhanging the sweep of opposite trays respectively; bars pivotally connected at one end to the trays and pivotally supported at the other end; means for operating the levers; guide-sheaves supported from the aforesaid arms, and cables connected to the rear portions of the trays and leading upwardly from the trays to and guided by the said sheaves.

6. In a clam-shell bucket having two suitablysupported opposite trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucket is opened or closed, the combination of the trays; a shaft arranged centrally of the bucket and operatively provided with a lever for actuating the shaft, which shaft is also 0 ,eratively provided with depending levers w ich are operatively attached to one of the trays; two sleeves loosely mounted on the shaft and operatively provided with depending levers which are operatively attached to the other tray, which sleeves are also operatively provided with levers for ac tuating the sleeves; two guide-sheaves sup ported from the last-mentioned levers and ar ranged equidistantly from the axis of the shaft; an upright bail loosely embracing the sleeves; two guide-sheaves sup orted from the first-mentioned lever of the s aft and arranged equidistantly from the shaft; bars pivotally connected at one end to the trays and pivotally supported at the other end, and a cable operatively connected with the firstmentioned lever of the shaft and last-mentioned levers of the sleeves, said cable being attached at one end to the upper end of the bail and guided by'all of the aforesaid sheaves.

7. In a clam-shell bucket having two opposite suitably-supported trays arranged to swing from or toward each other according as the bucket is opened or closed, the combination of the said trays; an upright bail arranged centrally of the bucket; levers opera tively attached to the trays and supported from the bail and arranged with their axes coincident with the axis of the bail; bars pivotally connected atone end to the trays rearwardly of the levers and pivoted at the other end to the bail, and means for operating the levers, and the pivotal connection between the bail and each bar extending to one of the trays from the bail and the pivotal connection between the bail and each bar extending from the bail to the other tray beingarrangedbelow but at opposite sides respectively of the axis of the bail.

Signed by us at Cleveland, Ohio, this 28th day of October, 1905.

ROBERT W. KALTENBAOH. JUSTIN GRlESS, JR.

Witnesses:

G. W ALDEN, ALBERT CAPELLE. 

